Why Infrastructure Is So Terrible in Costa Rica

The “Platina” bridge is one the great failures in infrastructure pointed by the Comptroller General report.

QCOSTARICA – The head of the Contraloria General de la Republica (CGR) – Comptroller’s office – has denounced serious management problems that are hindering the construction of public works, or which multiply execution times, wasting money and causing substantial cost increases.

The findings of the Comptroller General, Marta Acosta, in her report to the Legislative Assembly, outlined the causes of the endemic delay in the execution of public infrastructure projects:

Lack of an effective public pre-investment system and public investment plan.

Poor project planning.

Insufficient maturation of projects to start procurement procedures

Limited capacity to expropriate and revive services in a timely manner.

Delays in recruitment and in forming the executing units.

Extensive periods for compliance with preconditions.

Weak stewardship of Ministers who regulate the Sector and inter institutional coordination.

Lack of environmental and soil studies.

Delay in provision of counterparts.

Weak monitoring and evaluation of projects.

Lack of institutional support.

Abuses by contractors.

An article on La Nacion reviews the presentation of the Comptroller General to the legislative committee of control of revenues and expenditures, which is described as “… a horror story about infrastructure in Costa Rica”.
Sources: Centralamericandata.com, Nacion.com